Shock resisting socket locator



96% 1979 H. J. MALACHOWSKI 3,534,321

SHOCK RESIS'I'ING SOCKET LOCATOR Filed May 31, 1968 R m E V m HANDRY J.MALACHOWSKI ATTORNEY.

3,534,321 Patented Oct. 13, 1970 3,534,321 SHOCK RESISTING SOCKETLOCATOR Handry J. Malachowski, Wilton, Conn., assignor to Yankee MetalProducts Corp., Norwalk, Conn., a corporation of New York Filed May 31,1968, Ser. No. 733,380 Int. Cl. H011- 33/12 U.S. Cl. 339-93 7 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lamp socket is held securely againstturning in a lamp casing in order to hold in proper position thefilaments of a bulb in said socket. The means holding the socket in thecasing are of a resilient nature, so as to permit flexing of the holdingmeans and absorption of shock to prevent damage to the lamp, while yeteffectively holding the socket against rotation.

This invention relates to the mounting of a lamp bulb socket in anautomobile lamp so that the lamp bulb may be held in an effectiveaccurate position relatively to the horizontal and vertical. Inautomobile lamps, it is absolutely essential that those lamp bulbshaving high beam and low beam filaments, be particularly positioned atall times. Even a slight inaccuracy of location, such as a rotation of afew degrees will throw the beams generated by the filaments intoimproper position.

It is naturally possible to locate lamp bulb sockets accurately, throughuse of rigid and relatively costly assembly means. These means aresubject to erosion and wear, as well as shock, and simply are noteffective. It is the purpose of my invention to contribute accurate andeffective means which will withstand wear and which will absorb shock,and yet function with the accuracy required.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, severe shock applied to anautomobile, as when its bumper encounters a fixed obstruction, willcause severe damage to a bulb filament. If rigid means are utilized tohold a socket in position, it is obvious that it will be impossible tohave effective shock absorbing means. As a feature of my invention, Icontribute shock absorbing means for effectively holding againstrotation a lamp bulb socket.

Further, it is a feature of my invention that the lamp bulb socket isheld against movement in all directions, even though yielding means areutilized. Even further, the yielding means are not subject to wear, andwill not lose their effectiveness or accuracy.

Also, as will be made apparent, the assembly mechanism through which thelamp bulb socket is held effectively in a particular position, isextremely simple and inexpensive, and utilizes a minimum number ofparts, easily assembled for the purpose required.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of myinvention in order that the detailed description thereof that followsmay be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features ofmy invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form thesubject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based mayreadily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures forcarrying out the several purposes of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is an elevation looking into theopen end of a lamp casing from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3.FIG. 2 is an elevation of the lamp casing taken when looking at FIG. 3in the direction of the arrow 11. FIG. 3 is a section taken along line3-3 of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the several parts of myinvention shown assembled in FIG. 3

The lamp casing to which my invention is applied is designated generallyby reference numeral 15. This casing is tapered, but the shape is of noreal importance, since the invention resides particularly in theassembly showing in FIG. 3 utilizing the base plate of the lamp casingdesignated by reference numeral 16. The base plate is preferably formedof a plastic material having a central opening 17, and a pair ofintegral pins 18 at opposed sides of the opening. Preferably, theopening 17 and the pins 18 are formed in an offset portion of the base16, as best seen in FIG. 3, the offset portion being there designated bynumeral 19.

An insulated resilient washer 20 is formed with an opening 25 adaptedfor alignment with the opening 17 of the offset base plate portion 19.The washer 20 is also formed with a pair of upstanding lugs 21, each ofwhich is grooved or slotted at 22 so that when the washer is applied tothe base plate, interlocking takes place between the pins 18 and theslots or grooves 22 of the upstanding lugs 21. It is obvious that theresilient washer 20 will be locked against rotation relatively to thebase plate 16.

A metal member which may take the form of a washer, is designated byreference numeral 23, and is adapted to be applied against the resilientwasher 20, washer 23 being formed with an opening 24 for alignment withopen ings 17 and 25. Washer 23 is formed with slots or grooves 26adapted to fit over the lugs 21 and thereby to lock the washer 23against rotation relatively to resilient Washer 20 and the base plate16. It will be noted that while the washer 23 is formed of metal and istherefore rigid, it Will be held yieldingly against rotation byresilient lugs 21 of the resilient washer 20.

The lamp socket of my invention is designated by reference numeral 30,and it is formed with a usual type of compound slot 31 for the entry ofa pin 32 formed on the ferrule 33 of a lamp bulb L. This is naturallystandard construction. The socket 30 is formed with a pair of op posedgrooves or slots 35 that are adapted to coact with lugs 36 integral withthe washer 23 and extending into the opening 24 of that washer. When thesocket 30 is moved into the opening 24 toward its final position of FIG.3, grooves 35 coact with the lugs 36 of washer 23 and obviously preventrotation of the socket 30 relatively to the remaining parts, andparticularly the base 16. Also, the lugs 36 will ride into grooves 35until they encounter end surfaces 37 of the grooves whereupon furthermovement inwardly of the washer 23 by socket 30 will be prevented.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 3, a portion of the resilient washer 20extends into the opening 17 of the base 15 when the washer 20 is appliedto the two pins 18. It will be also seen in FIG. 3 that a secondresilient washer at the back or outside of the casing, fits against theouter surface of the offset portion 19 of base plate 16. This washer isdesignated by reference numeral 40 and is formed of the same material asthe washer 20. A portion thereof enters also the opening 17 and fitsagainst that part of the washer 20 lying within the said opening.Between the two washers, the socket 30 is insulated from the base plate16.

It will be noted from FIG. 3 that the movement of the socket 30 into theopening 24 of the Washer 23, the aligned opening 25 of the washer 20,the opening 17 of the base plate 15, and then an opening 44 0f thewasher 40, will be limited by the lugs 36 of the metal washer 23coacting with the end surfaces 37 of grooves 35. A further metal washer45 may now be applied about the end of the socket 30 protrudingoutwardly of the casing, and against resilient washer 40. Now, by asimple spinning over of the end of the socket 30, that socket is securedwithin the openings of the base plate and the several washers as wellillustrated in FIG. 3.

It is further obvious that while the socket 30 will be held firmlyagainst rotation or endwise movement relatively to base plate 16, itwill nevertheless be protected fully by resilient Washers 40 and 20against vibration and shock. Therefore, it can be said that I contributea means for holding a lamp bulb in a particular desired rotated positionwith its filaments particularly aligned as desired, while yet protectingthe lamp bulb against vibration.

In FIG. 1 the elements designated by reference numerals 50 and 51 arethe contacts to which the light bulb is related when inserted into thesocket 30. Further reference numeral 52 refers to a contact strip thatextends to a fastening member 53 for the purpose of forming a ground.The tWo contacts 50 and 51 are necessary because two filaments are usedin the light bulb. In FIG. 2, numerals 54 and 55 refer to conductorsthat are utilized for the lamp bulb.

I now claim:

1. In a lamp assembly, a base having an opening, an insulated yieldingwasher having an opening therethrough aligned with said opening in saidbase, interlocking means integral with said base and washer for lockingsaid washer against sliding movement relatively to said base andrendered effective by the placing of one side of said washer againstsaid base with said openings aligned, a metal washer having also anopening therethrough for alignment with said first openings appliedagainst the other side of said yielding washer, interlocking meansbetween said metal washer and yielding washer rendered effective by theplacing of said metal washer against said yielding washer for lockingsaid metal washer against sliding relatively to said yielding washer, atubular lam bulb socket adapted to traverse all of said openings, meansbetween said tubular socket and metal washer for preventing rotation ofsaid tubular socket relatively to said metal washer and therefore saidbase, and for limiting inward movement of said socket into saidopenings, at part of said socket extending through the opening of saidbase to lie beyond the said opening, and means co-operable with the saidextending socket part locking said socket against movement outwardlyfrom said base opening.

2. In the combination of claim 1, the feature that said means betweensaid socket and metal Washer comprise a lug on the metal washer and aslot in said socket.

3. In the combination of claim 1, the feature that said yielding washerand base interlock to hold said yielding washer against rotation on saidbase and that said metal washer when applied to said yielding washerthen locks the metal washer and socket against rotation relatively tosaid base, and said means cooperable with said extending socket partbeing yielding and pressing said socket yield- 4 ingly against saidmetal washer to hold it and said yielding washer pressed against saidbase.

4. In the combination of claim 1, the feaure that said means cooperablewith said extending socket portion include a second yielding insulatingwasher lying against the base and having an opening traversed by saidsocket.

5. In the combination of claim 3, the feature that said second yieldinginsulating washer and said first yielding insulating washer are broughtinto end to end contact through a portion of at least one of saidwashers lying within the opening in the base of said lamp casing.

6. In a lamp assembly, a base having an opening, an insulated yieldingwasher having an opening therethrough aligned with said opening in saidbase, interlocking means on said base and Washer for locking said washeragainst rotation relatively to said base and rendered effective by theplacing of one side of said washer against said base with said openingsaligned, a lamp bulb socket assembly comprising a tubular lamp bulbreceptacle and a laterally extending portion secured relatively to saidtubular receptacle with said portion and receptacle locked againstrotation relatively to one another, interlocking means between saidportion and yielding washer rendered effectively by the placing of saidportion against the other side of said yielding washer for locking saidportion and tubular socket against rotation relatively to said yieldingWasher and therefore relatively to said base, a part of said tubularsocket lying within said opening in said Washer and base and extendingbeyond the said base opening, and means cooperable with the saidextending socket part for locking said socket against outward movementfrom said base opening.

7. In the combination of claim 6, the feature that said means cooperablewith said extending socket part include a second yielding insulatingwasher lying against the base and having an opening traversed by saidsocket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,638,575 5/1953 Winkelmeyer etal. 339127 2,784,398 3/1957 Mysse 340381 2,806,940 9/ 1957 Worden24052.1 2,979,687 4/1961 Clayton 339-101 FOREIGN PATENTS 605,017 9/1960Canada.

' RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner I. H. McGLYNN, Assistant Examiner

